Volume One, Chapter One: A Night of Mistaken Passion, She Became Mrs. Li

In the impenetrable bedroom, breaths tangled together, filling the air.

At dawn, a warm, broad hand still rested against Cheng Qian’s slender waist, as delicate as a willow branch.

Cheng Qian’s eyes snapped open. Realizing she was in an unfamiliar room, she sat up in shock.

The next moment, her pupils quivered.

Beside her lay a man, utterly unclothed.

Just then, the man was awakened by her movements. He pressed his aching forehead, propping himself up.

“Cheng Qian.”

Li Zhinan immediately recognized her—the girl his mother had brought to the banquet.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Li... we…”

Cheng Qian stammered, too frightened to believe what had happened.

Li Zhinan crossed his arms, his handsome face tinted with suspicion.

“I’ll leave first…” Cheng Qian was at a loss for how to deal with the situation, panic driving her to escape.

A large hand grasped her wrist. “Settle things properly before you go.”

Cheng Qian froze, her mind blank.

“Mr. Li, this might just be... a misunderstanding.” Her words had barely left her lips.

On the sheet she had pulled away, a dazzling patch of plum blossoms appeared.

Those scattered petals seemed to silently mock her claim of a misunderstanding.

Cheng Qian was struck dumb, shrinking back and trembling, forcefully dragging the blanket to cover herself.

The blanket was snatched away, and Li Zhinan’s imposing, aggressive figure suddenly invaded her vision.

Cheng Qian’s eyes widened again.

Li Zhinan grabbed the blanket back.

Unable to match his strength, Cheng Qian quickly left the bed, bending to gather her clothes and rushing into the bathroom.

When she emerged again, the man was frowning deeply, speaking into his phone.

Her innocence lost, Cheng Qian couldn’t even bring herself to cry.

She had come to seek help from her mother’s close friend to solve her father's laboratory troubles.

Now, nothing had been resolved, and she had lost her precious first time.

Dejected, Cheng Qian opened the door and hurried out.

…

Dragging her aching, weary body, Cheng Qian returned home.

In the living room, she found her uncle’s family, uninvited and imposing.

“Who let you in… Get out… All of you, get out!” Cheng Qian shouted angrily, driving them away.

The old matriarch of the Cheng family barked, “I gave your uncle the key to come in. Your parents just left, and someone needs to tidy up this mess. Your uncle said he’s willing to take out a loan and repay your father’s debts. And you’re making trouble? No respect at all.”

Cheng Qian’s eyes were bloodshot, refusing to believe her uncle could be so kind-hearted.

Cheng Zhifei put on a sincere expression. “Qian, your parents died in a car accident, I’m deeply saddened too. But their laboratory has gained fame in the scientific community. If we don’t save it, the shareholders will swallow it up, and the Cheng family will get nothing in the end.”

His words sounded reasonable, but were utterly hollow.

Cheng Qian didn’t believe a word of Cheng Zhifei’s nonsense.

The old lady scowled, “Enough, Qian, listen to your uncle. He’ll get a loan so the lab can continue its research… Aren’t you studying medical biology? Once you graduate, you’ll come straight back…”

“I don’t agree.” Cheng Qian clenched her fists and refused coldly.

“Cheng Qian, aside from your uncle, who else would help pay your parents’ debts?”

Cheng Qian bit her lip. “I’ll find a way myself.”

“You’ve been running everywhere these days, trying to borrow money. Have you succeeded?” The old lady mocked her.

Cheng Zhifei smiled kindly, “Qian, you’re only twenty-two. You don’t understand how complicated people are. Your parents’ friends won’t lend you money.”

In the two months since her parents’ passing, Cheng Qian had indeed exhausted every connection. She begged everyone, but not one was willing to help.

Sitting silently on the sofa, Cheng Yan finally spoke, “Cousin, my father means well. Please don’t refuse anymore, okay?

“Under Uncle’s influence, I also pursued medicine. In the future, as sisters…”

Cheng Qian’s icy gaze pierced Cheng Yan: “We are not sisters.”

Her cousin, always pretending and performing, had been transparent to Cheng Qian since childhood.

She was as hypocritical as her father, seeking to profit from disaster.

Perhaps… even her parents’ accident…

At the thought, Cheng Qian was utterly despondent, plunged into despair.

The old lady grew furious, pointing at Cheng Qian and cursing, “You’re an ungrateful little wretch. If you weren’t a Cheng, your uncle wouldn’t help you!”

“Grandma, don’t scold cousin. She must be hurting. Let’s give her time to calm down,” Cheng Yan soothed, supporting the old lady.

The old lady snorted, “Compared to your sister, you’re stubborn as a rock. If you don’t want your relatives, move out of this house.”

“This is my parents’ house.” Cheng Qian’s face paled with anger.

The old lady sneered, “Your parents’ house includes my share. Besides, you’ll marry someday. The Cheng family’s property belongs only to Chengs. This house will go to your brother, Xiaoxuan, in the future.”

Cheng Qian was stunned—this was her inheritance, and her grandmother planned to let her uncle’s son take it?

Cheng Zhifei quickly interjected, “Mom, stop. We don’t want the house. Qian, I hope you’ll consider my offer. We’re family, we wouldn’t harm you.”

Cheng Yan grabbed Cheng Qian’s wrist, “Cousin, my father just wants to help with the debt, nothing else.”

“Get out… All of you, get out! This is my home… My parents' home!” Cheng Qian screamed like someone losing her mind—her whole world had collapsed.

Three days later!

The door was smashed open. A beautiful woman rushed in, frantic.

“Qian… wake up!”

In her haze, Cheng Qian saw a gentle figure. The next moment, she felt herself lifted, as if carried.

Hospital.

The smell of disinfectant roused Cheng Qian.

By her bedside sat Jiang Meng, her mother’s closest friend, and her son, Li Zhinan.

Jiang Meng sighed softly, “Qian, how could you stop eating? The doctor said you’re malnourished—these are nutritional drips.”

Cheng Qian’s eyes burned, grief overwhelming her. She covered her face and wept in silence.

Jiang Meng’s eyes reddened in sympathy. After Cheng Qian cried herself out, Jiang Meng spoke, “Qian, will you marry my son?”

Cheng Qian, her eyes swollen and misty, looked at the aloof man on the sofa.

Jiang Meng sighed again, “Zhinan told me everything that happened. Qian, it was an accident, but since he has taken your innocence, he must assume responsibility.”

Cheng Qian took a deep breath. It was as if, after drifting for days in a stormy sea, she had finally grabbed hold of a lifeline.

Yet marriage was no trivial matter.

It wasn’t just about her willingness to marry—would he agree to wed her?

“Aunt Jiang, something like this… shouldn’t be forced…” Her voice was barely audible.

Jiang Meng turned to fix her gaze on her son.

Li Zhinan looked at the frail, pale girl on the bed, and spoke calmly, “I’ve drafted a prenuptial agreement. If you have no objections, please sign.”

He clapped his hands, and an assistant entered from outside.

Li Zhinan stood, towering in a tailored suit, his bearing noble and captivating.

He handed the agreement to Cheng Qian, looking down from above. “Read it. If you have no issues, we’ll get the marriage certificate.”

Cheng Qian was stunned.

Jiang Meng smiled and nodded at her. “Qian, my son may be cold in temperament, but his character is good. You won’t regret marrying him.”

Li Zhinan’s thin lips pressed tightly, his gaze distant.

“If he ever mistreats you, Aunt Jiang will stand up for you—you won’t suffer injustice,” Jiang Meng added gently.

Cheng Qian lowered her head to read the agreement. Li Zhinan would invest two billion into her father’s laboratory, with the condition that she would lead the lab in providing technical support to his biotech company.

Two billion?

Cheng Qian had never seen such a sum. With this money, she would no longer be bullied by the Cheng family, nor haunted by nightmares.

Her research career could continue.

Reading further, she found a clause about child custody.

If they had children and Cheng Qian initiated divorce, she must agree to relinquish custody.

Cheng Qian thought, she didn’t intend to have children anyway—this could be disregarded.

All the terms were within reason.

In order to escape the shareholders’ relentless pursuit of debt, Cheng Qian quickly signed her name.

On an auspicious day three days later, Cheng Qian and Li Zhinan received their marriage certificate.

Two months later…

Cheng Qian began experiencing morning sickness.

Six months later, a low-key wedding was held in the city’s most luxurious seven-star hotel, with just ten tables for family and friends.

During the wedding banquet, Cheng Zhifei and his daughter happened to be celebrating Cheng Xuan’s birthday at the same hotel.

When they saw the bride alighting from the Rolls-Royce, the Cheng family was stunned.

“It’s Li Zhinan…” Cheng Yan’s breath hitched, her face contorted with jealousy. “The bride is Cheng Qian.”

Cheng Zhifei was equally shocked. “How could she possibly marry into the Li family?”

The old lady suddenly spotted another distinguished figure. She snorted, “Isn’t that Mrs. Li, Cheng Qian’s mother’s close friend? It must be due to that connection.”

“No…” Cheng Yan’s heart twisted in agony. She believed she was more qualified than Cheng Qian to marry into the Li family.

The old lady, sharp-eyed, noticed, “Is Cheng Qian pregnant? Look at her swollen belly—must be six or seven months along.”

Cheng Yan’s fingers dug deep into her flesh, hatred burning fiercely within her.

She thought she had trampled Cheng Qian into the mud, only to find she was soaring high above.

At the wedding, Li Zhinan slid a diamond ring onto Cheng Qian’s finger, leaning in to whisper: “Cheng Qian, that day—you entered my room on purpose, didn’t you?”